Lightly sweetened whole-grain Baked Oatmeal Cups with banana and zucchini make the perfect healthy breakfast or afternoon snack on-the-go! So moist and delish with a smear of peanut butter.
When people tell me they forgot to eat breakfast, I get...confused. Like totally, completely, utterly bamboozled.
From my chocolate peanut butter oatmeal cups and carrot cake baked oatmeal to apple oatmeal cups, we've got portable options!
I love how they're pre-portioned so you can grab a couple for an easy peasy breakfast on-the-go. Healthy. Easy. Lasts all week. Freezer friendly. We can do this, yo!
Ingredients
- Old fashioned (rolled) oats: The base of our 100% whole grain recipe. We don't want quick or instant oats here. Use certified gluten-free if needed.
- Bananas: The riper the better since they're helping to sweeten our baked oatmeal. You'll want to make sure you have a cup, which is 3 small or 2-ish large bananas. Don't miss all my healthy banana recipes!
- Zucchini: You'll need one medium unpeeled zucchini, about 7oz, freshly grated.
- Milk: Any kind of milk, dairy or non-dairy, will work in this recipe.
- Chia egg: To help bind the batter and add height. You can also use flax eggs or regular eggs. I found that chia worked better to bind them than flax.
- Almond butter: For flavor and fat in place of oil or butter. I've also tested these with peanut butter and they're great!
- Maple syrup: For a bit of extra sweetness to balance out the cocoa powder. You can also use honey, or omit it for a no added sugar oatmeal cup. I tested these with honey and they were delish.
- Vanilla and cinnamon: Extra flavor!
- Baking powder: For rise.
- Salt: A must for flavor!
See recipe card for full ingredient quantities.
How to make
- Mash bananas in a large bowl. Add grated zucchini, milk, vanilla extract, almond butter, maple syrup, and chia mixture, stirring to combine.
- Add dry ingredients: oats, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and add-ins of choice. Stir until just combined. Spoon mixture into muffin cups, filling to the top.
- Bake for 23-28 minutes, or until a fork comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Store cooled oatmeal cups in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
How to customize oatmeal
Baked oatmeal is also splendid because you can totally do you. And don't you forget about my Overnight Steel Cut Oatmeal and my Blueberry Banana Baked Oatmeal for more breakfast splendor!
- Make it chunky monkey style: Swap almond butter for peanut butter and add chocolate chips for a real morning treat.
- Amp up the protein: Use two eggs instead of the flax and add a couple scoops of your favorite protein powder or a couple tablespoons of hemp seeds to the batter.
- Feeling low-sugar: Leave out the maple syrup completely and use extra ripe bananas for natural sweetness.
- Make it an oatmeal bake: Trying to ditch the muffin tin? You can make this in a 9x13inch baking dish, too. It'll take longer, so keep an eye on it.
Are rolled oats gluten free?
No, rolled oats are not gluten free. This gets confusing because they are often processed in facilities that do process grains with gluten, which means risking cross-contamination.
If you are avoiding gluten for personal or health reasons, be on the lookout for rolled oats that indicate they’re certified gluten free on the label.
Tips for grating zucchini
That's right...we're slamming veggies for breakfast. Hallelujah.
- Don't squeeze out the liquid. This recipe calls for 1 ½ cups of zucchini and we are not squeezing the water out because we're actually relying on the natural moisture. A small zucchini will get you closer to a cup, so I recommend a medium one.
- Grate first, then measure. Since zucchini vary so much in size, definitely grate it and then measure out the correct amount after. I weighed it to add more clarity and it was about 7 ounces. Freeze any extra for smoothies!
- No need to peel. More fiber and nutrients, please. Just wash it and trim the ends. I like to use a box grater over a plate. Or maybe you’re lucky and you have a box grater with an attachment that catches the goods at the bottom? Blessed.
How to store
This recipe makes over a dozen baked oatmeal cups, making breakfast a breeze!
You can store leftovers on the counter for up to 2 days but then you'll want to transfer to an air-tight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
In order to reheat, simply warm in microwave for 10-15 seconds.
Can you freeze baked oatmeal?
Yes! You can easily freeze leftover cups for busy mornings. Simply freeze them in an even layer on a baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe baggie and freeze for up to 3 months.
You can transfer them to the refrigerator the night before so they’re ready to go in the morning. I like these glass containers for meal prep.
Craving more oatmeal greatness? I gotchu covered.
- Overnight Steel Cut Oatmeal
- Salted Chocolate Covered Oatmeal Bites
- Blueberry Banana Baked Oatmeal
- Healthy Blueberry Oatmeal Snack Bars
Pretty please let me know how this recipe turns out for you by leaving a star rating and/or comment! I hope you adore it as much as I do.
PrintBanana Zucchini Baked Oatmeal Cups Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 22 mins
- Total Time: 37 mins
- Yield: 16 cups 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Breakfast
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Lightly sweetened whole-grain Baked Oatmeal Cups with banana and zucchini make the perfect healthy breakfast or afternoon snack on-the-go! So moist and delish with a smear of peanut butter.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp chia seeds + 3 tbsp water (or sub 1 egg)
- ¼ cup almond butter
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 cup mashed overripe banana (2 large or 3 medium bananas)
- 1 ½ cups grated zucchini (1 medium zucchini, about 7oz. Don't squeeze water out.)
- ½ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups old-fashioned oats (use certified gluten-free if necessary)
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- Optional add-ins: ¼ cup chocolate chips and/or walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F. Spray a muffin tin (I used two, you can also pour the extra batter in a dish for an oatmeal bake) with cooking spray or line with silicone muffin liners.
- Place chia and water in small bowl. Stir and set aside to "gel." Place bananas in a large bowl and mash with a fork. Make sure they measure to be 1 cup. Add grated zucchini, almond milk, vanilla extract, almond butter, maple syrup, and chia mixture, stirring to combine.
- Add oats, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and add-ins of choice. Stir until just combined. Spoon mixture into muffin cups, filling to the top. You will have leftover batter if only using one muffin tin.
- Bake for 23-28 minutes, or until a fork comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Store cooled oatmeal cups in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
T says
Would this recipe work with oat flour? Sometimes the little ones have trouble with the oat texture.
Alexis Joseph, MS, RD says
Hmm I haven't tried it so I can't say for sure, but I'm thinking you could do 1 cup of oats ground into flour and then 2 cups whole?
Emma Cline says
I just made these with squash on accident so send prayers my way... hopefully they taste okay!
Alexis Joseph, MS, RD says
Squash should work just fine!
Mandee says
I made these last week before a beach trip and they were a life savor!! They made an excellent mid-morning snack for my little ones (and me and my husband!). Vacation food and children’s menus are generally far from healthy, so I was grateful to have these to start their day off on the beach!!
I have extra squash from my garden so I’m wondering how the squash variation turned out. I don’t dare mess with the greatness of the original recipe unless someone can vouch that it works.
Alexis Joseph, MS, RD says
Hahah this made my day, thank you tons Mandee! Yay for garden squash 🙂
Me says
I made them as stated and used chia instead of flax. They are a delightful healthy breakfast with a smear of peanut or almond butter. We Love ❤️ that they freeze well because the recut makes a good amount for just 2 people Thanks for the update to the recipe regarding chia instead of flax, greatly appreciated.
Me says
You mentioned flax in the recipe, but in the ingredients, there is no flax don’t know how much or when to add it, so can’t make your recipe.
Alexis Joseph says
Fixed. Either flax or chia seeds work but I changed flax to chia as I found they held together better; and I forgot to update the ingredients. Sorry about that!
Debbie Johnson says
Hi, I usually swap the zucchini for a can of pumpkin puree and add 1 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp ground cloves, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, pinch black pepper. And I swap the almond butter with apple sauce to cut the calories and fat a bit.
Perfect for breakfast on the go.
Alexis Joseph says
Oh wow I’m so glad that works!! Thank you!
Jimmie says
I make these for my wife and daughters. I sometimes substitute Honeycrisp apples in place of the zucchini, and 2Tbsp of local honey for the maple syrup. They are a BIG hit!
Always looking for new, healthy things to cook for my girls!
Thank You!!
Jimmie
Alexis Joseph says
That's amazing, Jimmie! You have some lucky girls 🙂 You must try my Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal, too!
Ellie says
Super nice !
Joni says
I return to this FAVORITE breakfast treat time and again! My husband loves these as much as I do. I’m often nervous while these are baking because I’m usually “winging it” a bit with the amount of bananas & zucchini, but it has never failed me. I usually use peanut butter and extra cinnamon. I’ve never added chocolate chips, but today I added raisins and sunflower seeds. These are perfectly delicious every single time. I’m off to check out your other recipes. Thank you so much!
Alexis Joseph says
Mmmm raisins and sunflower seeds sound fab! Thanks a ton, Joni!
Emilie says
These are so good, I am making them for the second time in a month! My husband and (almost) picky 5YO love them!
Alexis Joseph says
I'm thrilled your LO likes them, thanks Emilie!!
Caro says
Has anyone tried to make this with frozen shredded zucchini? Would I need to use it frozen or thaw it first and drain excess water?
Alexis Joseph says
Hey! I find frozen veggies can be kinda funky with the liquid. I'd let it thaw to room temp and then get rid of any excess water if that makes sense?
Glenda Boran says
I'm doing that right now. I just added an extra half cup of oatmeal
Farheen says
Can the oats be replaced with oat flour without editing rest of the recipe?
Alexis says
Hey there! I can't say for sure because I haven't tried it!
Amy says
These are delicious! Perfect amount of sweetness. Recipe worked great. Took about 24-26 minutes. I like that they were very moist—one of the best parts! I actually got 15 out of the recipe, but maybe I didn’t fill them super full. Prefer them without the chocolate chips but I’m sure my kids will like them with. Probably best I did half of each or I would eat them all!
Alexis says
Amazing, thanks a ton Amy!
Alexis says
Donna, did you change any ingredient amounts? Did you measure out the 1 cup of banana and 1 1/2 cups zucchini? I've tested this recipe countless times and have not had those issues so I'd love to figure out what went wrong here.
Ashley says
Perfect muffin for breakfast or snacks. Not too sweet & my toddler loves them too! Chocolate chips were a great add-in!
Alexis says
Yesss thanks Ashley!!
Valerie says
How have I NOT written a review for these yet!?! Probably because I was too preoccupied scarfing them down!? These are SO delish, absolutely love them! Perfect amount of sweetness where it’s not overwhelming - absolutely love them for breakfast and snacks! Such easy prep and perf for grab and go!
Nina says
Send time making these, and I'm in love. Great paired with peanut butter or coconut oil! Currently trying in a pie dish, so far so good.
Alexis Joseph says
Fab! I'm so glad you love these, Nina.
Bianca Brouillard says
I love how easy this recipe is and all of the options to modify it. I do not regret any of those chocolate chips! Hummusapien is my go to for recipes and this one does not disappoint. I love how portable and quick they are for busy mornings!
Alexis Joseph says
You rock, thanks so much girl!!
Lauren says
These are a delish snack, easy to make, and 7 month old babe likes them too! I'll try next time with no maple syrup and ripe bananas. Thank you!
Alexis Joseph says
Amazing! How sweet that your little babe likes them, too!!
Alexis Joseph says
Thanks, Candace!
Dylan says
Love these for a quick breakfast option!
Alexis Joseph says
Thanks so much, Dylan!
Colleen Kelly says
Love this recipe! Made every week when I was teaching so I could grab on my way out the door at 5:30am. These saved my sanity.
Alexis Joseph says
Yessss love that, thanks Colleen!
Rachel says
THE BEST MUFFIN RECIPE! I make 3x the amount and freeze them then just stick em in the toaster oven for 10 minutes. Perfection.
Alexis Joseph says
Amazing, thanks so much Rachel!!
Anjali bansal says
Oh!! looks great
Jen says
I make these once a week and my family loves them!
Alexis Joseph says
Wonderful, I'm thrilled your family loves these, Jen!
Nancy says
This was my first time making a form of zucchini-baked anything and they were so delicious!! I skipped the maple syrup since my bananas were super overripe and used peanut butter, chocolate chips, walnuts, and added extra cinnamon. Definitely a great and will be making them again!
Alexis Joseph says
Wonderful, I love your additions Nancy!
Judy says
I don't have a muffin tin, but I have a bread pan. can I make this recipe in a bread pan?
Alexis Joseph says
I wouldn't recommend a loaf pan if that's what you mean? An square 8x8inch baking dish would be a better option to ensure they cook through. I have not tested this, but the cooking time will need adjusted, so cook until a knife in the middle comes out clean.
m says
Yum! Any ideas for what to do if I don't have any nut butter?
Alexis Joseph says
Hmmm...I haven't tested it so I'm not sure but I would guess you could use a couple tablespoons of oil?
Kay says
So filling and delicious! I used PB in place of almond butter and regular milk and it turned out great!
E says
Amazing! Even my picky 4 yr old LOVES them. TY
Alexis Joseph says
Wahoo!
Michelle says
How do you do this as an oatmeal bake in regards to pan size and bake time?
Alexis Joseph says
I haven't tried it but I'd google banana oatmeal bake and go by their directions 🙂
Liz says
My nutritionist recommended these to me after having intestinal surgery a few months ago. They hit every food group and are great for some fiber and protein as a snack. They are delicious and filling... and super easy to make. I freeze a whole batch and take one with me to work every day.
Alexis Joseph says
I'm so glad to hear that, Liz! Thanks so much for taking the time to come back and leave a review. Hooray for your nutritionist!
Alyssa says
These oatmeal cups are amazing! I didn’t have quite enough zucchini so made up the rest with grated carrot and they turned out fabulous. I’ll definitely make these again!
Nutrition info per muffin:
Calories 129
Fat 4 gr
Carbohydrates 20.5 (of which, 3.1 gr fiber and 5.8 gr sugar)
Protein 4 gr
Alexis Joseph says
So glad you enjoyed them, Alyssa!
Lylosminap says
That was very thoughtful and helpful, Alyssa. Thank you for taking the time to that act of kindness. 🙂
Jon says
If anyone is interested in the Calories I have calculated them out, approximately. I used all organic ingredients from Aldi and Whole Foods. Couple Notes: I added Silvered Almonds to my muffins, I also used 1 Large Egg instead of Water with the Flax-seed. Anywho, for the yield of 16 muffins, it is approximately 135 calories per muffin (incl. Almonds). If you exclude the Silvered Almonds the calories fall to approx. 128 per muffin.
Marti says
Hi new to healthy eating and good habits would like to try incorporating green superfood into your muffin recipes. How many scoops should I use and can I add this?
BJ says
I have been enjoying these for months but my Lst few batches are not cooking all the way through and are gummy and too moist...what could I be doing wrong?????
Alexis Joseph says
Weird! Add more oats or cook them longer? Use less zucchini? Sounds like too much wetness.
Anna says
What's the nutritional content of these?
Claire says
I made these today - they are delish. I love how they are healthy and yummy treat. I added shredded coconut, walnuts, and vegan chocolate chips. I will say that mine needed much longer to cook! Thinking that over the fall season, I might try swapping out the banana for pumpkin - yum!
Alexis Joseph says
Love those additions, thanks Claire!
Heidi says
So happy I stumbled across this recipe! They are SO good. I used an egg with the flax instead of the water, and added 1/4 cup chocolate chips and 1/4 chopped walnuts. They have just the right amount of sweetness, are super moist, and I don't feel bad about eating a couple. =)
Alexis says
So glad you liked them, and I hope you never feel bad about eating! 😉
Morgan Lansdown says
Do you know how many calories are in these? If done with no maple syrup
Alexis says
No I don't, sorry!
Sada says
These are my go to breakfast muffins!! They freeze great and are always perfectly de-thawed by the time I get to work. I've made them a TON of times. I have boasted about this recipe and have provided the link to heaps of my friends. I always add walnuts, vegan chocolate chips and sometimes coconut. I usually use soy milk and organic peanut butter, but all depends what I have on hand. I love all the different variations available. Thanks so much! Keep up the good work 🙂
Alexis says
You are so kind, Sada! Thank you tons for the thoughtful review.
KM says
Great breakfast for on the go! I added pecans and Eden (Apple juice sweetened)
dried cranberries
Alexis Joseph says
Perfect!
Beth says
Love this for a hearty breakfast, or afternoon snack, and its perfect with a cup of coffee.
Alexis says
Thank you for the feedback, Beth! So delish with coffee.
K Johnson says
I have made these muffins every which way possible and they are an amazing lifesaver! If I don't have zucchini I will use shredded carrots, and Pineapple or broccoli slaw and pineapple, or applesauce ! I do add more peanut butter than called for but usually end up with 23-24 muffins and cool-then freeze in packets of two-4. Grab and go. I always add chia/flax seed and sometimes hemp. Protein powder at times also.
Thank you-thank you for a great base! Travel, treats, breakfast just an amazing time saver. They have all tasted great. Shocked at the broccoli slaw !
Village Bakery says
Alexis, this is fantastic. I made them for my GF this morning and they came out great! -Joe
Laura says
What is the calorie content in one muffin?
Alexis says
You can def do that! I’d add 2 tbsp.
Erica says
Has anyone tried adding cocoa powder to these to make them more chocolatey?
Erica says
Anyone successfully substituted the banana for a cup of pumpkin puree and added pumpkin spice?
Alexis says
That should work but I would definitely add more sugar since pumpkin isn’t sweet like banana is. Enjoy!
Aja says
I always individually wrap them in plastic wrap once cooled and then put them in a large ziploc 🙂